Foodservice Driving

Go work for US Foods and that not blaming warehouse thing will go out the window. There are many times I had to dig thru a pallet to get to the other pallet on the bottom in my freezer section for box of steaks. They don't sort pallets completely cause its more cost effective for the driver to do it then warehouse. They rather have the customer get mad when you show up late cause you've been digging in pallets at the last couple customers. Go figure!

 

Sysco is a good company, I have known drivers and there company for a long time, good Money, benefits, but you`ll work for em.
I have also seen Mclane, Drivers drive like nuts, but probably get paid pretty good also. another one Rhienhart, some more drivers that drive like nuts, but make good money. You`ll be humping food all day, and stocking shelves. But bottom line, If your young, its a good job for ya.

 

that and make sure no medical issues, im only 30 but I have a bad back and the doctors warned me my bulging herniated disk can reappear if I do something stupid or I would go for it for the extra money and home time. I will unload pallets with a pallet jack or climb up and do load locks and stuff but thats the most I really do. I was down for over 6 months on disability last time in horrible pain so no money is worth that again.

 

yeah I would never wish a herniated disk on someone, I didnt have much sympathy for people who complained about back pain until it happened to me, you better believe I feel for others these days. Going to chiropractors and therapy 3 times a week for months while the pain wouldnt get any better....I didnt bother with meds, I have a very high tolerance to pain killers so vicadins, codeine and all that stuff do nothing for me at all, I dont get how people are addicted to that stuff but I guess it affects others differently. I was just lucky I had a very loyal wife who did everything she could to help me during it and then one day the pain was just gone and couldnt figure out how it got better overnight. After that I was quickly job searching, I hated being stuck in bed all that time. But when the doctors told me it can return at anytime I decided not to go for anything back breaking. Been pain free for about a year now and trying to keep it that way, also working on losing weight to help.

 

me? im otr for now
My driver manager was telling me to look into some of the dedicated stuff since my numbers are good, I might be doing that since there are some dedicated routes that will pay slightly more plus I will be home on weekends, there are some routes home nightly but I live 2.5 hours from my terminal and not relocating.
Also have looked into a hazmat disposal transportation company near home my old high school friend manages, have to get my hazmat though since I never bothered to get it.

 

Even with a liftgate it doesn't really help me. I can drop the whole pallet down, but I gotta wheel it up to the door and then break down the whole thing. That beats taking a few boxes at a time up and down a ramp, but it still doesn't change the fact that it is hell on your body. 50lb bags of this, 60lb cases of that...all day long definitely takes it's toll on you like you said. It's hard to properly lift things all night long when that's all you do. You gotta contort yourself in odd ways at times to get something off of a pallet, then walk around the pallet jack, and side step something else in your way...its just impossible to properly lift things 100% of the time.

When I come home and can't hold my 7 month old son, who only weighs 18lbs, for more than 10 minutes without my back screaming.....that's how I know it's time to move on. I haven't been doing food service as long as some other guys here, but 2 1/2 years is enough for me. I'm tired of fingerprinting everything, tired of running overnight all the time, tired of not sleeping, tired of dealing with jerks at the delivery locations. It is a hard and thankless side of trucking that a lot of people don't realize until they do it.

Maybe a lot of other guys have had better experiences than me, and that's great! But my pay isn't worth the pain and aggravation I have to put up with. Best of luck to whatever you decide to do!!

 

yeah its a thankless job most of the time, I was one of those customer locations who treated my drivers with respect, i saw how hard they worked, I didnt get mad at them if something was wrong, that was where a phone call to the rep was placed to get something fixed. You treat the drivers with respect and they give it back, my normal drivers would even wheel all my stuff into the walk-in units and storage rooms if they saw me busy so I can get to putting it away later. Then you get the driver who will stop at your door and let it be your problem to figure out.

 

It's funny cause you as a driver make 3 times as much as these high school drop out managers and they treat you like the kitchen floor. Not all but alot do. Had to bite my lip alot.